Sunderland AFC delegate visits Zambia

Sunderland AFC’s Head of International Football Development, Graham Robinson, has travelled to the nation of Zambia this week as the club continues to strengthen its links with Africa and the Premier Skills initiative.

Robinson, who travelled with Caroline Ames from Sunderland AFC’s Foundation of Light, is currently delivering Phase Two of the Premier Skills initiative in Lusaka, Zambia, with 36 coaches from across Zambia training with the Sunderland delegate.

As part of the week long programme, the coaches will undergo a number of practical coaching sessions and workshops to strengthen their coaching skills.

Premier Skills, which is run by the Premier League and The British Council, focuses on developing community coaches and referees in chosen territories, to further support local community projects.

Robinson said: “We had a really beneficial workshop, with the coaches discussing their journey since phase 1. This included what challenges they have faced in the past seven months and how they were able to deal with these challenges.

“Throughout the week, we will follow the progress of the coaches and share the knowledge we have developed through our many community projects both in the UK and Africa.”

The visit to Zambia strengthens Sunderland AFC’s long-held commitment and reputation for investing in community and education programmes in Africa, with Robinson only recently delivering the final phase of the Premier Skills project in Lagos, Nigeria.

Through its many partnerships, relationships with football clubs and grassroots activities, Sunderland AFC continues to establish itself as one of the most recognised and respected English Premier League clubs across Africa through the work it is doing.